A surgical table comprising a base 4, a column 8 extending from the base 4, a tabletop 2 providing a patient support surface, a traverse drive mechanism to provide longitudinal or transverse movement and a controller which is operable to cause movement between two points with a pause for a specific period of time at a predetermined intermediate position. A sensor may be provided to identify when the tabletop 2 is at the position it should be delayed at. The application also discloses a method of using the table and a computer program to enact it. Also disclosed is a surgical table with a traverse drive mechanism with first and second elements wherein one of the elements can disengage when the device is moved to its extremes. The device may use a rack and pinion gear mechanism.
